The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-11-03
HoUsE-FURNIsHINo HINTS.
Points for Economical Ladies-with Apoi-
ogies to tho Fashion Papers of Today.

| FOOSE-F OhNiSf1iNG hin d
Points for Economical Ladies-wIth Apol-
Ogies to tho Fashion Papers of To-day.
1t frequently happens that women of
taste. desiring to furnish their homes IN
! an elegant manner, nave not the neces-
sary means to do so. To all such l
would say: Do not despair. In the
absence of the money, which would
make it easy TO purchase the articles
desired. you must use your brains and
economic.
To woman about to 90 to house,
keeping with limited means, I would
recommend the example of a friend of
mine who recently went to Florida to
live. and who had to make the best of
a not plethoric purse.
She had not the means to purchase a
cupboard, but she TOOK the biz box her
piano came in and set it in the corner
of the kitchen, with the opening in
front After paperingi it inside and out
with comparatively inexpensive wall
paper, at forty cents bolt, Il carpenter
was called in. ut only three dollars and
fifty cents day, to nail narrow strips
of board inside for cleats. with boards
sawed the right length placed across
for shelves.
The space underneath made a nice
roOmv place for the frkins of raspberry
jam, guava jelly, imported marmalade
and other necessaries. The carpenter
also made a smaller box, placed on the
top, and corresponding in length with
the lower one. That was similarly
papered. and shelf put in about half
way between the upper and lower part
So she had three deep long shelves
for her silver. besides space at the bot
tom for her china.
Covering the whole front of this neat
and convenient cupboard was bro
caded silk plush curtain, arranged TO
slide easily back and forth by rings
running on brass rod. The rings
cost but five cents each, the brackets
fifteen cents each, and the rod two dol
lars. She obtained the silk plush at
bargain-four dollars per yard. Eight
yards sufficed, making the total cost
only about thirty-five dollars.
As chairs were scarce, she covered
soap-boxes and the like with silk plush
of a handsome shade, which made quite
stylish-loOking seats.
Her work-stand is made of little
deep. narrow box, one side being used
for the top. of course, with neat strips
of board, painted dark brown. nailed
on the ends for legs, and a stand cloth
of antique lace over satin was sufficient
to hide the interior. This stand cloth
cost but eight dollars and twenty-five
cents.
The box that her statuary group
Coming to the Parson'-came from
the factory in. has always been kept as
pedestal for that statuette, as it is rs
high and large across as suitable
stand would be. 1t was covered first
with stiff paper, to give asmoother sur
face, and then with an elegant plush
and gilt cover, which cost but seven
dollars and fifty cents. Altogether, it
forms as pretty piece of furniture as
a stand made at the factory would do
One not used to any thing but the
regulation chamber sets would be sur
prised to see what pretty substitutes
can be got up after the same general
style-the tables, with their dainty toilet
accessories; the stands. with their pretty
covers and splashers. Ny friend pre-
fers the real articles, of course; but
when they are lacking she will have as
pretty and convenient substitutes as
she can get.
Barrels are also utilized in pretty
way. The one upon which Daisy keeps
her music looks quite pretty, covered
as it is with antique lace over satin. OF
course, the inside is used for storage.
If it were not for taking up too much
room would speak of her shelving in
detail. There are so many places where
shelf or bracket, even of carved wal
nut, is an added convenience, and all
unsightliness is removed by putting on
a crochetted cover or China silk scarf.
1t makes me inwardly groan some
times in visiting friends to see their
housekeeping arrangements.
their work so needlessly hard,
when little planning and continuance
on their part would make such differ
ence, and be so economical William {.
II. SiuitOr, in Puck.